The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) and Austin Health are joining forces to launch Victoria’s first Virtual Hospital pilot program – providing greater access to specialist care for all Victorians.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas visited the RMH on Monday to announce the exciting initiative, together with representatives from both health services.
The pilot will support expert care for patients from the comfort of their own homes or local hospitals, including from regional settings where specialist treatment may not be available, using innovative digital technology.
It will also aim to help patients return home sooner after a hospital admission by providing check-ups and monitoring remotely, where safe to do so.
The RMH’s Chief Executive, Professor Shelley Dolan, said the innovative pilot was an important step for the future of digital healthcare, aligned with the RMH’s strategic goal to become a digital health service.
“We are delighted to be working closely with Austin Health, the Local Health Services Networks (LHSN) and regional colleagues to deliver the next phase of virtual care for Victoria,” Prof Dolan said.
“This will reduce length of stay and provide improved access to world-class healthcare for more communities across Victoria.”
Jodie Geissler, Chief Executive Officer at the Austin, said:
“We are thrilled to be leading with the RMH this unique, contemporary partnership that will deliver more virtual care for the benefit of Victorians. We will draw on the expertise across our hospitals to deliver care in the right place for patients and innovate in the interests of the future of healthcare in Victoria.”
The pilot will see initiatives including a virtual ward for heart failure and after cardiac surgery; virtual ward rounds for regional neurology and hematology patients; and a virtual foetal monitoring service, delivered in partnership with the Royal Women’s Hospital.
The Virtual Hospital Pilot program will draw upon the success of the RMH’s Digital Coordination Centre (DCC) – a digital hub that oversees access and flow across the RMH – and the Austin’s established virtual ward caring for heart failure and post cardiac surgery patients.
A collaboration with Ambulance Victoria will see a dedicated representative based within the DCC to support ambulance and health service capacity and demand coordination and help ambulances get back on the road faster.
The pilot is anticipated to increase inpatient capacity, reduce waiting times, improve equitable care, support access and flow, and form a blueprint for future expansion. It will also promote collaboration and shared learnings within the Local Health Service Networks.
Teams from across Austin Health and the RMH have been working closely with clinical, operational and digital teams across the partnership to co-design and define the service model, with a focus on safety, innovation, and equity.
Eligible patients will be able to access the new model of care at the end of this year or in early 2026, with its success to be evaluated throughout the pilot ending in June 2026. The pilot is generously supported by a $3 million from the Victorian Government, announced in the 25/26 Victorian Budget.
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